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TALLAHASSEE — Florida Gov. Rick Scott could wind up winning support for his top legislative priorities this year.

But they won’t be in the way that Scott originally wanted.

Scott announced Monday that legislative leaders have agreed to a three-year elimination of sales taxes charged on equipment bought by manufacturers. The governor has hammered away for weeks on the need for the tax break.

Scott also contends teachers won a “victory” when legislators agreed to spend $480 million on pay raises. The pay raises, however, would not take effect until June 2014.

The announcement of the deal on the tax cut comes just two days before Scott must act on key bills dealing sought by legislative leaders.

But the tax cut isn’t a sure thing: It must pass by a two-thirds vote.

Florida’s $74.5 billion budget ready for final vote

TALLAHASSEE — Florida lawmakers are now ready to take a final vote on a proposed $74.5 billion budget.

A final copy of the budget was delivered to all legislators shortly before 2 p.m. on Monday. This means that legislators can vote on it this Thursday. State law requires a 72-hour “cooling off” period before a final vote can be taken.

This means that the session will end on time. The budget is the one bill that legislators must pass during their annual 60-day session.

The budget then goes to Gov. Rick Scott who has the power to eliminate individual spending items from the budget with his veto pen.

The final budget includes pay raises for state workers, sets aside $480 million for a teacher pay raise, and includes a three-percent tuition hike.

Special-needs education bill clears Senate

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Senate has passed a bill that would give parents a greater say in shaping the education plans for their special-needs children.

The measure (SB 1108) cleared the Senate on a 39-0 vote Monday. Similar legislation is being considered in the House with time winding down in the 60-day session, which ends Friday.

The Senate-passed bill gives parents a greater say in shaping the curriculum and individual education plan for their special-needs children.

Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, says that increasing the options for the parents will give the students a better chance to succeed. Gardiner is the bill’s lead sponsor along with Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine.

The bill also ensures that students with disabilities have access to the professionals and resources that will best serve them.

Senate sets up ‘parent trigger’ for final vote

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Senate is ready to cast a vote on a hotly contested bill to give parents a vote on turnaround options for failing public schools.

Senators on Monday discussed the “parent trigger” bill (SB 862). The House already has passed its version of the bill.

The Senate changed the bill to make local school boards the final decision makers on turnaround options. Critics say that provision undermines the intention of giving parents a seat at the table.

Most opponents have been concerned about the possibility of public schools being turned over to for-profit educational management companies. That’s one of several options parents can vote for.

Bill aimed at cyberbullying clears Senate

TALLAHASSEE — A bill meant to crack down on cyberbullying has cleared the Florida Senate and is headed to Gov. Rick Scott.

The measure was passed by the Senate on a 37-0 vote Monday. It cleared the House earlier, so its next stop is the governor’s desk.

The bill (HB 609) would expand the authority of Florida’s public schools to discipline students for cyberbullying done through use of a school computer, at the site of a school-sponsored activity or on a school bus.

Supporters say teachers and school administrators need a stronger hand to protect students from online attacks.

The bill defines “cyberbullying” as harassment through the use of computers, technology or electronic communications.

Senate not backing down on Medicaid expansion

TALLAHASSEE — The legislative showdown on Medicaid expansion alternatives is heating up with the Senate signaling it’s not backing down from a plan to accept billions of federal dollars.

The Senate amended the House proposal Monday, essentially wiping out the House’s plan and replacing it with its own, with just days left in the session. The Senate still has to vote on the bill, but even if it passes, it’s unlikely the House will agree.

The Senate wants to take more than $50 billion in federal funds and give it to roughly 1.1 million residents to purchase private health insurance.

But the House doesn’t want to accept money tied to the Affordable Care Act and has passed a bill that would use $237 million in state funds to cover about 115,000 residents.

Counties upset over ‘Triumph Gulf Coast’ bill

TALLAHASSEE — A consortium of eight Gulf Coast counties is raising an alarm about a Florida Senate bill that creates a nonprofit board to manage money from settlements from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The Gulf Consortium met Monday to discuss the bill (SB 1024).

The bill creates a nonprofit “Triumph Gulf Coast” board to safeguard any funds recovered by Attorney General Pam Bondi. The attorney general sued BP and Halliburton before the statute of limitations expired on the 2010 disaster’s third anniversary.

The counties are concerned over losing local control.

But amendments filed this week would ensure the new board would not control Gulf recovery money coming from the federal RESTORE Act. The bill was scheduled for the floor Monday but was postponed.